Solitary Loneliness
by Darkside685
Summary: When Inuyasha fails to protect Kikyo in the past, he dedicates himself to guard her soul in the future. Only one of her reicarnations has affected him in such a strange way....not even Kikyo herself. Who is this strange girl Kagome?
1. Sense of Duty

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, its manga, or any part of its anime series. 

Author's Note: Starting off of the bat--this is an Alternate Universe fanfic, meaning that the events and situations are different than what appears on the series and manga. And because of this, I fear that I need to explain a few things before the story (so be prepared for a long note! J )

Although it begins with Kikyo, the story is actually an Inuyasha/Kagome pairing. In this fic Kagome is still Kikyo's reincarnation, but she does not have the ability to travel back in time to the Feudal Era. Kikyo takes Kagome's place in that aspect, so I'm going to try to combine a little bit of both of their personalities into her. I don't harbor the hatred that many people have for Kikyo. So in other words, she is not a "bitch" in this story, since I'm making her into a more mature Kagome.

Naraku…is Naraku in this fic--the same evil, though less creepy demon (I've decided to make him full instead of half). "Masou" is not separate from Naraku in the entire fic. Both he and Inuyasha are the same (and I'm toying with the idea of tossing in Sesshoumaru as well). 

So there you have it. A brief explanation of the changes in the story. Feedback is crucial to the updates of this story. It may seem a bit long in the beginning, but trust me, it's all for the background. I hope you enjoy it.

**************

The arrow ripped through the air illuminated by untainted light. Kikyo frowned as she watched the men detach the remains of the boar demon from the wall of a villager's hut, her fingers still in position on the grip of the bow. The beast had died with only one arrow this time, indicating that her powers were rapidly increasing by every passing sun. Just last week, she had exterminated one half this size with all but two shots left in her quiver. She could feel the miko energy flowing through her veins easily now, more than ever. 

For some reason, they had been coming almost non-stop, one right after another. Kikyo barely had enough time to finish any of her meals before she heard screams and saw the worried faces of the villagers as they stared at the giant demons in absolute horror. It seemed that they were even more magnetized to the jewel than ever before which only meant that she would be placing the lives of those around her in jeopardy once again. 

It was always up to her to kill these creatures, demons who had greedy ambitions and corrupted hearts. But no matter how many she had slain with her bow and arrow, they always attacked without any hesitation. 

Kikyo wasted no time in eliminating it to pacify things once more and returned to her cabin, setting her weapon down on a crude wooden table and leaning her quiver against the wall. 

Taking a seat by the fire at the center of the room, a sigh escaped her lips as she stared into the calm flames. Her thoughts turned where they always did whenever she had a moment to herself. When would she be able to cast aside this burden of maintaining the role of the sacred jewel's protector? When could she say farewell to this life of hardship and live a somewhat ordinary life without having to constantly deal with greedy dark hands trying to get a hold of the Shikon no Tama for their own selfish desires? The answer never seemed to be right in front of her, so Kikyo spent the better part of the day wondering, longing, wishing for the day she didn't have to rely so heavily on the pull of the string on her weapon. However, she was not so naïve as to think that death had no chance of appearing before she reached her goal, but ironically as much as she craved to live a normal life, she was not afraid of the fiery pits of hell. To her, it was another way to gain her freedom, her reward from giving the finest years of her lifetime protecting the small sphere hanging from her neck. But she had no desire to shuffle off the mortal coil just yet.

Kikyo's eyes narrowed as she rose from her spot and walked to the entrance, pulling back the heavy straw curtain to step outside. She took a couple strides from her door looking up into the lush green leaves of the trees adjacent to her home. She knew without a doubt that he was there, watching her as he did almost every night. She was beginning to get good at finding him even if he moved with hardly any noise, basically knowing that he was near by feeling a warm rush and a chill charge down her spine. A slight smile formed on her mouth as she called out to him.

"Inuyasha, you're becoming careless and clumsier. Cease your rustling up there."

The crackle of branches could be heard before a muffled "keh" floated down to her ears. In a flash of crimson and white, he landed down on the ground, folding his arms and regarding her with harsh eyes and lowered brows. A cool front. Inuyasha forever sported it as if pretending that nothing ever bothered him.

Kikyo knew differently.

She chuckled faintly and turned back to her home, re-entering it and resuming her place by the fire. In a few moments, a clawed hand moved the straw drape aside and a bare foot crossed the threshold. She leaned forward, stoking the fire, her eyebrows raising at the level of silence in the room. In her peripheral vision, she could tell that he was watching her closely, as if he expected something…

"Inuyasha, if you're not going to say anything worthwhile, then you might as well sit down and glare at me, instead of standing and frowning."

He took a few cautious steps before taking a seat across from her. The sharpness did not leave his honeyed pupils as he observed her. Kikyo stole a glance at him and noted in mild amusement the lines on his forehead and the crease of his thick brows. Something was really disturbing him, she realized. 

His mouth opened and closed a few moments before he tucked his arms inside his huge sleeves. "You killed off that demon pretty quickly."

Her eyes flashed of confusion briefly as she looked at him. "It was but a boar demon, a creature that is powerful, yet is weak in it's defenses."

"But it shouldn't have died_ that_ easily."

Her brows drew together in further confusion. "Why are you worried about this, Inuyasha?"

"I-" He caught himself and shifted until his nose was turned up in the air. "Keh. Who says I'm worried? I was just stating the obvious."

At that, Kikyo warmed. He _was _worried about her for some reason. Although she knew he would never admit it. Inuyasha was probably hiding in that tree, waiting to pounce, but since she had destroyed the demon with haste, it hadn't been necessary. He had a desire to protect her, even if it was not needed. "I am sure you have noticed the increase of my power. Alarming as it may be, Inuyasha, I still know how to protect myself." A smile curved on her lips. "I do not need you to fight my battles for me."

A glint of sadness flickered in his gaze, but he just turned his nose at her and closed his eyes. "Who ever said that I was going to help you? I wouldn't even waste my time!"

Kikyo flashed him a knowing smile and returned to tend the fire. Inuyasha was sweet in his own little way. He was almost child-like in his personality--stubborn, hot-headed, and cute--all at the same time. Her mind suddenly produced an image of him as a toddler, his arms crossed and his trademark "keh". She couldn't contain the laughter that ripped its way out of her mouth. 

Inuyasha's eyebrow rose at her unexpected outburst, his eyes staring at her in slight confusion. He inched closer to her and studied her with a humorless expression. "What's wrong with you?"

He was sitting next to her, clearly wondering what she was thinking of. The smile did not abandon her, but she managed to regain her posture and forced her amusement on a more controllable level. "Nothing is 'wrong' with me, Inuyasha. I was only imagining something. There is no need fret over me." Her hand reached out to clutch his. "I am not going to shatter or break like glass. I am stronger than that and am not going anywhere for quite a while," she said, going straight for the source of the problem.

It seemed to be the reassurance that he needed. Inuyasha's eyes softened as he turned his hand over and interlocked their fingers together. They gazed at each other for moments until the sizzle of the fire and the scattering of embers drew Kikyo's attention away from him as she stoked the flame again, the smile on her lips even brighter than before.

*************

Eyes that did not exist physically watched the encounter between hanyou and miko unfold. The dark fire burned inside of crimson pupils as the pair of eyes narrowed. The demon assessed the situation and took comfort in the relief that its opportunity for its intention had not been wavered, crushed by that wretched snowy-haired hanyou.

Sure, everyone wanted to possess something of extreme value and worth, but this was the ultimate tenure. It wanted to sink his teeth in it, to grab hold of it, to make sure that it was secure in its grasp. To never let go. Oh, no. It would _never _let go, especially when it came with such a lovely little package.

She was absolutely breathtaking, it had to admit. Even its wildest dream could not conjure up something as exquisite as the priestess. Her beauty, her strength, her secrets all appealed to it and it could do no more than to seek it. To seek her.

The flame in the demon's eyes smoldered as it watched the object of his desire laugh, her rich voice outlandishly making the sound light and pearly. The combination was addicting, and the demon found itself reveling in the sound. 

No other with its intentions had even made it this far without the priestess knowing. The miko would sense the evil and eradicate it, not even giving the threat an option to change its mind. Kikyo _knew_. She _knew_ when those malicious threats neared, all seeking the possession of the fabled item. However, the demon noted arrogantly, no could match his caliber. 

He stared at her once more before turning away, a hint of a smile growing on his lips. His plot would work, it only required the elimination of the hanyou that the miko was obviously so fond of. And he would enjoy tearing that human-ish flesh and spilling the tainted blood, watching as it soaked into the soil. Tainted, almost similar to the jewel when he was done. And he needed the miko to do it.

__

Soon, Kikyo, his mind promised. _Soon you will face the demon, Naraku._

***********

The arrow struck the heart of the trunk, her target. Although she was an expert and a wonderful marksman, she still felt the need to practice, her inner unrest tranquilized by the simple firing of an arrow, with each shaft that was released, the tension and stress attacking her nerves freed. Her brow furrowed as she examined her handiwork.

Her little sister, Kaede, ran forward to retrieve the arrows, but Kikyo stopped her. "Leave them. Go and bring me some water." Kaede turned as she nodded and rushed towards the cluster of huts to do her sisters' bidding. 

Kikyo sat in the grass, setting her bow and quiver aside, her mind going back to the reason that she had decided to come out in the fresh air and complete a few rounds of target practice. She could feel a sense of foreboding, something was coming and it was less than moral. It had been so obvious, that potent sensation she felt many times last night, the strongest when she was with Inuyasha. Something evil was coming, and when evil was involved, the Shikon no Tama was more than likely too.

Her expression changed to a more fierce one as she quickly scooped up her bow and knocked an arrow on the string. She took aim and released, the shaft flying up into the trees.

"Ah!" Something red fell out of the trees. Inuyasha ungracefully landed on the ground, rubbing his head. "Hey! What was that for?!"

Kikyo turned her back to him and resumed her seat in the grass. "You are whining, Inuyasha. If you are as alert as you say you are, then you should have seen that coming a mile away."

"I wasn't expecting to dodge a stupid arrow!"

She smiled. "I was only being alert, Inuyasha." Then she froze for a moment, then rose from her position, her eyes traveling to the nearby village. Kikyo had that feeling again. Something was close now, even closer than before, and it did not fail to unnerve her. A strange tingling brought goose bumps to her skin and she shivered.

Inuyasha looked at her carefully, noting the change. "What? What's wrong?"

Kikyo returned her gaze back to the hanyou. "Nothing is wrong with me. How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"Something is bothering you, I know it!" His clawed hands took her shoulders and she turned around, suddenly aware of the proximity. 

She didn't know that he was that close, their noses pressed each other's. Their mouths were but inches away. Inuyasha gave her a hooded look as both of them leaned forward slowly, waiting the contact of--

"Kikyo! Kikyo!"

The girl in question turned from the hanyou, her cheeks tinted only slightly. She shouldn't have been seen in such a compromising position, at least not with her younger sister. Kaede was breathless, evidently running as fast as her little legs could carry her. "Kaede? What happened?"

Inuyasha sniffed the air and growled. "There's a demon close by. I can smell him." He frowned down at Kikyo. "And also blood and death. The village is being attacked."

Kikyo knelt down to talk to her sister at eye level. "Kaede. Stay here and wait for me to return with Inuyasha."

"What? No! I'm coming with you!" Inuyasha protested, but Kikyo cut his rant short.

"Inuyasha, if you were to come, you would only scare the villagers further. You are not exactly on good terms with them anyway. I don't have time to argue." She retrieved her weapons from the grass. "Stay here and guard Kaede. If it is a threat on me, then I'm sure that whomever this is will not hesitate to use her against me."

"But Kikyo-"

"I will see you later, Inuyasha.' And with that, she turned and hurried towards the village.

When she arrived, all she could do was gape in horror. Local villagers were running about, houses burning ablaze, screams filling the moderate space. Bodies were strewn everywhere, a variety of men, women, and children. All of them were lifeless, their eyes open as if in shock. The stale air filled her nostrils as she continued her search around, grimacing as the sky seemed to fill will dark violet clouds. The town was in shambles, just that quickly. Whoever had done this was definitely powerful, yet Kikyo knew that this pan demonic chaos was not the extent of their might. She needed to find the threat fast and eliminate it.

Then, she felt it. In one fluid motion, she had knocked an arrow on her bow and whirled around, aiming it at the intruder. It was a demon, she could tell that right off the bat. His face was striking, beautiful and stunning in all of the right places. Dark locks were pulled up from his face, the rest spilling over his shoulders. His eyes though, they contained the fearsome power that she knew had been coming. They were red, and matched the scarlet stains surrounding them, making her sick to her stomach.

"So it was you who did this," Kikyo said as her grip tightened on the bow.

"You do not see surprised," the demon simply stated, his voice deep and resonant, sending chills down her spine.

"I have been expecting you for sometime, I could feel your presence everywhere. You do not wish to hide?"

The attractive demon smirked as he lightly shook his head. "No, I do not hide, particularly when I want to be found."

Kikyo's dark eyes narrowed at him. "So you killed all of these people just to get to me?"

"It was the quickest way to achieve my goal, while luring you out in the process. The Shikon no Tama is corrupted by the love of evil."

She laughed, that lustrous laugh again striking a chord inside of her enemy. "Do you think that I have such little control that I would fall under the force of hatred? I am the Guardian, incapable of such deeds. Who do you think you are, demon?"

His crimson eyes flashed before he replied. "Naraku."

"Hmph. Naraku. What a befitting name to describe such a vile creature. However, you will not live to see any more sunrises!" Before the demon could react, she released the arrow, embedding in the flesh below his left shoulder.

He stared at the wound, his eyes glaring back at hers with malice. "Perhaps I was incorrect. I should eliminate you if you will be no use to me."

She pulled the string back even further, feeling the strain. "Try it if you wish, but you will not like the results."

"After all," he ignored her comment. "I have almost eternity to find a more. . .submissive copy to comply to my will. Your soul will suffer for countless years, Kikyo." A wicked smirk formed on his lips. "Much to my enjoyment."

She fired. However, this Naraku was much faster than she had realized. He forced himself in front of her one hand around her waist, the other knocking the bow away from her hands. Her eyes widened in terror as her mind worked slowly to comprehend the events that were occurring. Had he really done that? Was this even real?

Then she felt excruciating pain in her middle. Kikyo's brown eyes lowered to the source and found that the demon had pierced her with an extension of his arm in her abdomen. It looked like a branch where she could see it, but as she struggled, she could feel the sharp thorns of spikes on the part that impaled her. 

She was becoming weak, her eyesight was turning into dimness. Even her hearing was leaving her, but she could hear someone shouting her name. . .they sounded so distressed...

Her eyes gave into the weary sensation and closed. But she could still hear her name being screamed. . .

Wait. . .

She knew that voice. . .

"Inu. . .yash. . .a. . ." The remainder of her soul allowed her to utter those last syllables as she was thrown into utter darkness.

*****************

She was gone. Just like that. Inuyasha couldn't believe it. Ruby red raged seethed within, his sharp claws extending at the site. The bastard just stood there, his attention still on Kikyo. The demon lowered his head to take her cold lips into her mouth in a kiss. He murmured something to her and disappeared into a thick black smoke.

"Until your next life, miko."

Inuyasha heard it, and as soon as the demon had left, his legs started to work again. He knelt next to her body, taking her lifeless hands in his own. "Kikyo. . ."

He would pay, Inuyasha vowed. There was no way he would get away with something like this. He said her next life, did he? Well he wouldn't get very far, since Inuyasha had a lifespan almost as long as his. Inuyasha could smell his blood still lingering in the air. The demon was full-blooded, which meant it could take nearly forever to kill the bastard. But Inuyasha didn't care. Kikyo would be safe in her next life, he would make sure of it. 

He was going to hunt him down and shred him slowly, limb from limb.

**************

Five hundred years into the future….

"And everyone in the kingdom lived happily ever after." Kagome closed the cover of the book that she had finished reading to the small group of kids. Today was a Wednesday, the day she took a train to the other side of the city to her aunt's library to help out. It was a small source of income for her, but she could barely complain since she was doing something that she actually liked--much better than taking that job at her local WacDonald's with the rest of her friends. She loved kids just like any other girl her age and when her Aunt Taiyo phoned her and asked her to come and work she nearly jumped on the opportunity. While the wage wasn't exactly her cup of tea, she relished in the fact that she could pay for her own things instead of falling to her knees and begging her mother for the latest fashion items fresh off the rack.

She waved at the children as she watched them leave. It was her job to keep them entertained for two entire hours by reading them a stories of their choice. On today's selection: The Sword in the Stone, a book she had read many times to them in the past. The kids couldn't seem to get enough of the medieval times of foreign lands filled with magic and swordplay. Personally, she didn't care for it herself. The past was dull and boring, a world deprived of modern technology. However, she could see why children loved it so much and she found herself reading the same book over and over again because of it.

"Aunt Taiyo! I'm going home!" Kagome yelled inside an open doorframe of an office while tugging on a strap of her yellow book bag. After hearing her aunt relay a standard farewell, she pushed on the glass door of the library and headed out into the city.

Kagome was a pretty normal teenage girl--she loved clothes, fluffy animals, and anything the color pink. She was afraid of spiders and cursed everyday of her brother's existence. She had lots of friends and had a pretty well-known reputation at her school. It was nothing quite out of the ordinary, and Kagome felt very content with her life.

And of course she was ecstatic when the rumor that the most popular boy at school was interested in her turned out to be true. He had come to her at lunchtime to sit with her and eat with her, asking her questions about herself and the things that she liked. Hojo had even offered her his dessert--a very tasty strawberry pastry that he claimed to have made on his own. They hadn't talked about going on any dates, only promises of them seeing each other again. The rest of her friends wouldn't leave her alone about it, and Kagome knew that they would attempt to play matchmaker and pair the two up. The girls loved to gossip and Kagome had no doubt that the word would spread like wildfire around the entire school. 

She took a seat on the train next to a window and stared through the glass. Even when she was so pleased, she couldn't help but feel that something was amiss in her life, although it felt as if she had everything. It was disturbing, how she went through each day longing for something, yet having no clue what was missed. Whenever she wondered why this was, Kagome could not find any hint of why she sought something more when she was supposedly satisfied with herself. She placed her chin on her palm and sighed. She often thought a lot about this, lately more than ever. And yet, she had a strange inkling that she would soon discover the source of her desolation.

The girl blinked, barely realizing that she had been absorbed in her thoughts so much that the whole trip back to her house had sped by in what seemed to be merely seconds. Kagome gathered her belongings and exited the train, hurrying home so that she would be there in time for supper. Her mother hadn't been too happy the last time she had lollygagged around the city. Her mother was often worried about her taking the train from her job, especially after sunset. But Kagome was not overly concerned about it since she had been riding the same train for almost a year now, and she had never been attacked or seen any crimes from the time that she boarded to the time she departed. Her fist gripped the strap of her bag as she practically ran down the sidewalks to the shrine. She would make it in time. 

Kagome was completely focused on getting home that she didn't even notice a pair of eyes watching her as she ran.

Fanged teeth made themselves visible as the two lips pulled back into a smirk. _A shrine, huh?_

He could expect no less. It fit her well, since in all of her past lives she was still stained with the power of a miko. He could smell the tremendous power, stronger than ever before, coursing through her like an electric current through water. She was still as impressive as he remembered, yet he could sense an innocence in her eyes as he watched her rush up the high flight of steps, which meant that she most likely had no idea of the incredible miko energy flowing in the blood of her veins.

That was bad. _That_ meant that she basically had no protection if Naraku decided to make an appearance to her. _That_ meant that he had to keep a close watchful eye on her at all times. She was so vulnerable; she didn't even check her surroundings for potential threats. Clueless, he decided, absolutely clueless.

He let out a sigh of annoyance when he witnessed the girl stumble on the steps up to her home and scoffed. _This_ was Kikyo's reincarnation? Kikyo had such grace, such regality; this clumsy slip of a woman couldn't possibly be her.

Inuyasha moved closer, perched on a branch. He rarely skulked around like this anymore, the change in times made his actions gauche and caused unwelcome eyes to turn towards him and stare at him in a peculiar manner--as if something wasn't quite right with him. Stupid humans. It made him want to rip out those eyes.

But even when he harboured that desire, he knew that he would never act upon it. Otherwise, he wouldn't be up in a tree stalking the reincarnation of his lost love. Kikyo had quenched the homicidal flames that rose within him and replaced it with a lingering respect for the living that he didn't know he had in him--of course he would never admit it. But then, Naraku had chosen to remove the one creature that he could divulge as being the best change inside of him. And for that, he was going to pay, when ever that sorry bastard decided to show up.

Inuyasha knew that the dark demon would go after the woman that he now watched so attentively, Naraku could do no less. The full demon's wish was to get the jewel, and there was no way in hell that Inuyasha would allow him to succeed this time. Five hundred years guarding each one of Kikyo's reincarnations had made him much stronger, wiser, and enhanced. 

Naraku could come, but this time, he would destroy him.


	2. Insanity

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, its manga, or any part of its anime series. 

Author's Note: Thanks so much for the reviews…this one was posted on my site for a long time (and my site is like a closet…it's where I store all of my ideas and stories that I have not yet presented to fanfiction archives because they aren't finished or they are getting revised), so I had finally gotten around to putting it on both ff.net and mediaminer. 

******************

The clock's alarm woke her with a feeling bordering on homicidal rage, and Kagome was very tempted to toss it to the floor and watch in satisfaction as it became a heap of plastic, silicon, and wiring. Grumbling in her half-awake state, she threw off her covers and made an attempt to start another day. It was her fault really, she had been so worried last night, attacked by anxiety and nervousness of her upcoming algebra test that she kicked it into high gear and studied her ass off. She didn't think that it would take its toll on her the next morning, though. "Well, at least I'll be prepared," she said , yawning wide and stretching her limbs. As soon as she shook the last remains of sleep away, Kagome headed into the bathroom for a nice, hot shower.

Afterwards, she stuffed all of her school books and materials in her canary yellow book bag and pulled her uniform from the closet. Dressing quickly, she headed out of her room and down the steps, blindly following the delicious aroma that flooded her nostrils and ignoring the rumbling in her stomach that agreed that the smell of the air was indeed appetizing. 

"Hi honey," her mother smiled at her the moment she set foot in the room. "I was just about to check on you to see if you had gotten up. I know you studied so hard last night." 

Kagome answered with another yawn at the reminder and watched her mother set a plate loaded with food down in front of her. "Well, there's no reason that I should fail today's test," she said, picking up her chopsticks. "The material finally made sense to me about the fifth time that I read the chapter." 

"Then you will do well, I know you will," her mother assured her, giving her another heart-warming smile to make sure her daughter understood that she was trying to offer comfort and reassurance. Kagome smiled back and continued to make short work of the meal on her plate. 

"Sis, are you ready to go?" her brother yelled at her from the front door. 

Kagome sighed and was about to tell him that she didn't even finish her breakfast yet, but her eye caught on her watch and she gasped in shock. "Man! I'm going to be late if I don't hurry!" In a flash, she was up from the table and grabbing her wrapped lunch from the kitchen counter. "Sorry Mom, gotta go!" She all but ran from the kitchen to catch up with her brother.

"Bye, Kagome!" her mother called. "And good luck!"

******************************

"A D?!"

Kagome held up her paper in disbelief as she stared at the red mark, eyebrow twitching. "I studied for at least 6 hours last night, and I get a D?!" She fisted her hand, causing the paper to winkle as she shook her fists. "This is so unfair!"

"I don't know why you're that upset, Kagome," her friend, Yuka spoke up. "You had an A-average in this class, the most it will do is bring you down to a B."

"I would _kill_ for a B average," Ayumi (okay, did I spell that right?) groaned. "If I don't get at least above a C in this class, my parents will take away all of my privileges, including not taking me to the dealership on my birthday for my new car."

"I don't mind a B," Kagome explained. "But if I had known that I would get a D, then I might as well have just given up studying!"

"Well, there's always the finals," Eri's helpful voice chimed in. "If you do well on that, then you'll pull your grade back up."

Kagome sank in her chair. "Yeah, I guess. But I still spent a lot of time studying last night, nearly falling asleep in the crack of my textbook and all to get a D!"

The bell rang, signifying that school had just ended and the students had been granted their freedom from the brick walls of the building. Kagome returned her books to her bag and waited for her friends to do the same. "It's Wednesday, so I'll walk you guys to WacDonald's and go to work."

"Alright." Yuka took a few steps until she was standing next to Kagome. "Are you sure that you don't want a job working with us? We know the manager, and we could get him to pull some strings…"

"Yeah! It's fun working there. You should definitely take the job!" Ayumi said as she and Eri joined their friends. 

Kagome smiled at the group. "Thanks for the offer, but I love my job. It doesn't require much skill except for reading and it's fun there too. I don't have to take down orders from people all day either."

"Oh well, but we'll ask our boss if you change your mind."

Kagome nodded as they walked through the doors of the school to the outside. "Thanks. I'll remember that." They walked in silence for a few seconds before her three friends gasped and halted their tracks as if time had stopped and left them standing in the same place frozen and inert. Kagome looked at them in confusion before following their gazes.

"Higurashi-san!" 

A smile materialized on her face as the owner of the voice met up with the group of girls. "Hojo-kun. How are you?"

"Never better." Hojo returned the smile before nodding to the three other girls beside her. "Hello Yuka, Ayumi, Eri."

"Hi, Hojo," Yuka said ecstatically, pushing Kagome in front of her so she would be face-to-face with the tall boy. "We were just leaving for work. See you later, Kagome!"

Kagome's feminine brow spasmed at her friends' antics. Okay, she _did _like Hojo, but did they have to make it so dang obvious? Making a mental note to brutally injure Yuka tomorrow at school, she turned back to him, her grin wavering slightly. 

"Were you walking home?" Hojo asked as he wheeled his bike alongside him in order walk beside her.

She shook her head. "I was just going to walk to the station to go to work."

"Ah…" Hojo said thoughtfully. "I've seen Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi working at WacDonald's but wondered why I never saw you."

"No, I work far from here, which is why I have to take the train."

"Oh…so, where do you work…?"

They talked all the way from the schoolyard to the train station, about various things: family, friends, high school. Their conversation never wavered; both of them could understand one another and contribute something of their own. Hojo was such a nice guy, smart and caring. He was also handsome, and many girls in her class had claimed that he had taken their breaths away.

…For the first time since they talked, Kagome felt that there was something missing. 

She couldn't pinpoint it, but something inside of her told her that this boy was not what she wanted and that he would never be. However, she couldn't tell what it was exactly, and so she tossed the thought out at the moment. She would look more into it when she had the chance. 

They reached the station and they said their goodbyes right before she got on the train. Hojo was so sweet…why wasn't she attracted to him? She sighed as her back hit the plastic seat and closed her eyes. 

There must have been something wrong with her.

***********************

"Kagome!" 

She smiled as she pushed open the glass door of the library. The children were already sitting on the floor waiting for her with their choice books in their laps. The girl dropped her heavy bag on the ground next to a chair and sat down in front of the group. "Well," she said to the kids. "What do we have today?"

"Here!" All of the children held up their books. Kagome laughed as she scanned the titles, trying to chose at least one of them. "Ah," she said, taking one from a pair of tiny hands. "I haven't read this one to you in a while." She opened the cover and began to read, allowing the youngsters to become absorbed into the written world. 

Only about a half-and-hour passed before her aunt came out of the office, calling her. Kagome set the hardback on the seat's cushion and followed the older woman. "Yes, Aunt Taiyo?" she asked, just then noticing the young girl standing beside her aunt. 

"I would like you to meet Sango, my husband's niece," Aunt Taiyo introduced. "You two haven't met before, right?"

Kagome shook her head. "No, I wasn't even aware that Uncle Akinori had any brothers or sisters." She held out a hand to the young girl and grinned. "I'm Kagome Higurashi."

"Um, Sango Chishu," she said, taking Kagome's hand. 

"Sango just moved into the city, and is going to be working with you, so I thought that you might want to show her around after you're done reading to the children," Aunt Taiyo suggested. 

Kagome nodded. "That's a good idea. Maybe the kids will want to skip the story and come with me while I give the tour." At her aunt's frown she added, "I_ promise _I'll keep them quiet." 

"Alright, but just be sure that they don't disturb the other people." Aunt Taiyo left the room to return to her office.

"Come on, you can meet the children," Kagome said, leading the way into the reading area. "Hey guys, this is Sango, and she'll be with us from now on."

"Hi Sango!" the children chirped happily at the young girl, causing her to flinch from the volume. Kagome laughed.

"They are a little energetic, but you'll get used to them. Alright guys, we're going to give Sango a tour of the library, and we need to be quiet. Otherwise, Taiyo-san will be angry at me and force me to read the dictionary to you tomorrow." 

The group moaned at the idea, making both the girls chuckle at the sight. "Alright, come on, and be on your _best _behaviors."

********************

The pencil fiercely hit the paper in her frustration. Kagome leaned back in her desk chair, massaging her temples from the stress of her homework. Math. It was a torture thought up by the most evilest of beings, probably by people who had nothing better to do than to replace actual numbers with letters. When she was a kid in preschool, she was taught that the numeric system and the alphabet were two entirely different things. Who would have ever thought that some wacko would merge the two together in a practically useless form only to be used in high school and the years of college. There really was no point in forcing the students to learn it, more than half of them wouldn't use it in the future. Come on, who in their right minds would go to the grocery store saying, _"If 'x' cans equal 'yn' amount of dollars, then how long will I be here in the middle of the aisle trying to figure this out?"_

There was a sound above her that sounded like scrambling. 

She looked out the glass pane of the window. Surely something couldn't be out there…?

Kagome shook her head and returned her attention to her work. It was probably a branch or something that hit the roof. Or perhaps it was a bird or some furry little woodland creature that scurried its way to its nest in the large tree in the backyard. It most likely was a branch, since it was pitch black outside and most animal did their moving in the daytime. That was it. It was a branch that hit the roof.

--A branch that strangely felt like a pair of eyes.

"Ookaay…" Kagome said, closing her book. "We're done with the math." Her eyes searched the windowpane from her seat but could find nothing. It was still pitch-black and difficult to see.

"Give it up, Kagome," she said to herself. "There's nothing out there." She pressed her hand to her forehead and sighed. "Man, I need to go to bed." She removed herself from her desk and stretched following up with a wide yawn, confirming her statement. She dressed quickly and darted under the sheets before turning out the lights and shifting her body into a more comfortable position. After about ten minutes, she managed to succumb to sleep's spell and drifted off to slumber land, unaware that her previous paranoia was in fact correctly placed.

***************

How could he have been so stupid? 

He had almost made his position known, almost made her conscious of him. Inuyasha had no intention of doing exactly what he nearly achieved by accident: blowing his cover. This girl was not to know that she was being protected, there would be too many questions--he knew all too well about the questions from all of Kikyo's incarnations in the past--none that he would prefer to answer. Well, what could he say? _'The reason I'm stalking you is because you have the same soul of someone who was very important to me…by the way, that was **five-hundred years ago**…'_ Sure, she would understand…perhaps after she ran and filed a complaint to the cops about having a dog-demon stalker that watched her from the colossal tree in her backyard. Yes, that would go _splendidly_…

His back hit the trunk and he folded his arms. At least he had finally found her. After Naraku had killed her last re-embodiment, he had to start from scratch--waiting six years for the soul to process in the after-life and following the powerful scent of her miko energy. Surprisingly, there were a lot of strong mikos in the present--a good amount of them were like this girl, oblivious to the fact that they even had the power. However, Inuyasha knew how to distinguish her soul from all of the others.

The Shikon no Tama. 

In all of the years that he protected Kikyo's spirit, the smell of the great and supreme crystal could not be washed or diluted from her essence. Kikyo was the true protector, it stuck to her like flypaper and refused to leave her without it. It made her a hell of a lot more easier to find.

But, it also worked as a disadvantage because **_he_** would use the same tactics to find her as well. A frown formed on the hanyou's mouth at the thought. He would _not_ let him get to her after all of his hard work. He would not start over again after failing. 

Naraku, over the years viewed their competition as a game, a race to see who could reach the miko first, Inuyasha to preserve and Naraku to destroy. The sick bastard saw some sort of amusement within this somehow, obviously believing the entire situation like a chess game; to him, Inuyasha was the pawn and Kikyo's soul was checkmate. They had played many matches, and Naraku would force a draw, killing off their goal whenever he was unsuccessful of seeing any progress, or whenever Inuyasha had managed to get to her first, waiting in the shadows until his back was turned and delivering a killing blow to the young girl.

Inuyasha sighed in relief as he saw her turn out the light and go to bed. Finally…he could go back to his house and change his clothes. He had been out in this tree for nearly seven hours, watching her and making sure that there were no signs of the youkai anywhere. He would go home, take a shower, and resume his watch. Yes, a shower would do him quite nicely, he thought as he leapt off of the thick branch.

There was no way in hell that Naraku would touch this one.

__

***************************

"Even when surrounded by acquaintances, you are all alone."

Coffee colored eyes shot open in shock then explored the environment.

Kagome gasped as she realized that she was enveloped in a shroud of white blinding light. Her eyes winced against its radiance as a hand rose to shield the luminosity. She examined the light further and realized that she was still inside of her room, still snuggled under the pink comforter and sheets of her soft bed. What in the world was going on? Did the moon and stars outside of her window suddenly combust into a supernova of sheen and brightness? Was she ascending in a beam of heavenly light towards her afterlife?

Her eyes narrowed. Somehow she could tell that this light was less than holy, almost as if it was corrupted by darkness, despite its brilliance. She could make no sense of it; in some way, she knew that this was no dream--even if she would probably tell herself that in the morning, that she had only imagined the deep voice and the light and was suffering from a mere lapse of sanity and a lacked sense of reality. 

Then the light materialized into a figure towering over her form. Kagome could do no less than analyze it, the way the long, shadowy locks tumbled over his broad shoulders; the way the dark silk of his robes fit his muscular structure; the way the symmetry of his gorgeous face made him appear blessed, almost angelic in his guise. His own brown eyes gazed down at her with a manner of complete understanding and compassion. 

Her eyes widened when one of his delicate hands swept back the hair of her bangs in such a gentle fashion. A slight smile broke his countenance as she again began to hear the resonant tone of his voice. 

"Why do you suffer? You have done nothing to invoke this punishment, and yet you seem to bear the weight of it. "

"W-what…are you talking about? Who are you?" Kagome asked, gripping the upper seam of her blanket and pulling it up to her chin protectively. The mysterious man kept the grin on his lips as his palm turned to knuckles to move to stroke the supple skin of her cheek. His other hand tugged the coverlet out of her grasp and pushed it away from her nightgown-clad body. 

"There is no need to conceal anything from me, Kagome."

A splinter of fear pricked her insides and melted under her heart, spreading the unpleasant emotion like a thick layer around her lungs causing her breathing to become short and ragged. Her brown eyes bore into his, noting the way that his own dark ones made the pang of restlessness inside of her increase. "How do you know my name?" she demanded.

The way the two slashes of black above his eyes sliced downwards made her wonder why she had first thought that this man was an angel when in only a few seconds, his face had transformed into that similar to a devil's. "I know all about you, Kagome. Everything. From your favorite color to all of your past lives." His thumb moved across the skin below her nervous eyes, sending sparks of dread and panic down her spine…

And yet, there was quite a lovely feeling that pooled below her stomach, an intensity that she had never experienced prior to the present. Adrenaline streamed through her veins--she was certain that almost every hair on her body had stood up, triggering the awareness of every touch, every caress of the enigmatic man before her. A sigh escaped her lips, neither of gratification or of discomfort.

The dark haired man chuckled as his free hand moved down, while never touching her, towards her abdomen, his eyes even more devilish than before. Her own anxious eyes followed the path of that hand, wondering where all this was leading to. She gasped as she saw a flood of violet surged from his palm and into her body. Kagome tensed, eyes closed, expecting pain to come. 

An even more delightful sensation washed over her as the dark energy pulsed into her. Her mouth opened in a silent gasp as the waves of pleasure flowed into her. This feeling…it was not something that she could have imagined. Her brown eyes went to his and in the daze of bliss she noted that she was wrong about the colour of his eyes. Instead of brown, they had faded into a crimson shade, somehow increasing his unbelievable beauty.

The hand over her tensed, and then was pulled away. His eyebrows lowered as he closed his eyes and turned his head away from her, a smile on his lips. "I'm afraid you're too late, Inuyasha," Kagome heard him mumble. He moved back, keeping eye contact with her the entire time. "I will be back, Kagome. The love of evil will taint the jewel," he told her as his figure faded away in the same blinding light he had appeared in.

Kagome stared at the same spot for at least ten minutes, then pinched herself. "Ouch…" she said rubbing her arm. It wasn't a dream, so what the hell was that? She shook her head, deciding that she wouldn't be able to make any sense of it now, even if she tried. Pulling the cover back over her body, she closed her eyes and willed herself to sleep. 

Perhaps she could talk her mother into seeing a shrink tomorrow, since she was certain she was going crazy.

*~*~*~*

****

Okay, I wanted to say that the "encounter" will most likely be in the next chapter, for all those who have asked, so be patient! And remember (even though it is clichéd…), the more reviews, the more incentive I have to write, even though I will keep going regardless. But it's going to be a hell of a lot faster with more reviews, I'll tell you that much…


	3. Panic and Disbelief

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, its manga, or any part of its anime series.

Author's Note: Thank you to everyone that has stuck with me so far. This chapter was probably the hardest to write yet, since I had trouble wrapping it up into at least 16 pages (a feat that demon angel knows too well. She helped me with this one, and if it wasn't for her, I would still be thinking of a way to end the chapter. Thanks demon angel!). So I'm sorry for the long wait, but as you can see, my brain was not cooperating with my motivation. But anyway, I hope you enjoy the new chapter.

* * *

  
__

'SHIT!'

His nose could smell him everywhere, the horrid scent floating to his nostrils and causing him to panic. The hanyou's feet shuffled, sniffing every crevice and area of the Higurashi shrine thoroughly, aiming to uncover some trace of him. How could Naraku come this quickly? He had only left for twenty minutes and the vile youkai had already come and gone, leaving his mark. Inuyasha's teeth ground together.

And the bastard had made sure it was damned obvious for him to detect.

He leapt on the railing of her balcony, which was a hard feat to stay on thanks to his sneakers, peering inside of the glass of her window, just to make sure that the youkai had really left the premises. A wave of relief crashed over him and let out a sigh to accompany it. The girl was still sleeping, making him wonder if he had even smelt Naraku at all. Perhaps he was just too suspicious, nobody in their right mind would sleep through something like that; no normal girl would be able to rest after she was terrified by a fully-blooded demon, _him_no less.

He sniffed once more and frowned again. No, this could not be. He _had_been here, Naraku's stench was all over the glass pane. . .meaning that it was more than likely stronger on the inside than out. He was almost too afraid to find out, but he soon realized that his hands were already working to lift the window up so that he could get into her bedroom.

Climbing through after he finally got the rusty thing opened, he inhaled for a third time, grimacing as he discovered that he was in fact correct. Naraku had indeed come inside of her room, and yet he could not determine in which direction that the youkai had arrived, no indication of where the odor had originated. He smelled her things, starting at her desk and working his way to the wood outline of her doorframe. No, the scent was stronger elsewhere. . .

His shady black brow rose in alarm as he finally located the source of the smell. Topaz eyes shone in the darkness as his gaze rested on her sleeping form, the girl in a deep sleep apparently, if she hadn't even heard him clamber through the creaky old window. Crap. '_Well this is **wonderful!'**_Inuyasha exhaled deeply and remembered his last thought. So he wasn't paranoid, but this girl was crazy, how could the bitch manage to sleep through something like that? He stepped forward but soon regretted it as he got a whiff of Naraku's pungent joukai.

"Ugh! The bastard must have drenched her in it!" Inuyasha said, unaware that he had made the observation aloud. He was pinching his nose with one clawed hand and closing his eyes in an attempt to block it out. Phew….it smelled almost as bad as B.O. on a hot summer day. He doubted that she would be affected by it as much as he was, since she was human and had no demonic blood in her veins as he did. Although, he was certain she would know something was amiss, her strong miko energy would alert her, but the joukai was powerful, and to someone like him, it was completely foul and abominable.

--For someone who loathed Naraku as much as he did.

Cursing inwardly yet again and still holding his nose, he cracked one eye open and tried to focus on the girl once more. There was nothing wrong about her, looking at the outside, but with all of the dark miasma floating around her, he could certainly tell that the bastard had done _something _to her. He sighed and groaned, knowing that he could not tell anything from where he was standing.

Which meant he had to get closer to examine her. And he was _not _too thrilled about that...

Standing over her slumbering form, he raked over her figure with slanted brows. Hmm. . .the evil energy was barely detectable towards her head, but instead it trailed downwards, under her covers and. . .

__

'Just what the **fuck**did he do to her?!'his mind screamed. _'If he even **touched **her--'_

He didn't get to finish that thought, thanks to a single stray feather which drifted upwards, right in the path of his nostrils. Since he was so concentrated with his investigation, Inuyasha did not realize it until it was too late.

"AACHOO!!"

Her eyes snapped open, clearly expecting the outburst as much as the hanyou did. Her chocolate-brown eyes stared at him in shock, her thin brows arched and raised in surprise at the impulsive noise that interrupted her sleep. The girl's open mouth was ample indication that she was more than likely frightened out of her wits at the sudden intrusion.

A long, lengthy silence passed as they sat there, staring at each other. And then…

"AH-MHP!!!" Kagome's scream was smothered with the prowler's clawed hand.

Golden eyes glared down at her. "Now listen carefully," he said slowly. "I'm going to take away my hand, and I don't want any more screaming, you got that?" Inuyasha watched her nod frantically before removing his hand from her mouth. Boy, thank goodness that he had opted to wear a bandana, he didn't know if he would be able to calm her down if she had seen his ears. She scrambled to sit upright on the bed, staring at him with wide eyes, which narrowed after a few moments.

"Alright, I won't scream if you'll tell me who you are and what the heck you're doing in my room!"

The half-demon exhaled, obviously dreading that question. Let's see, how was he going to put this. . .

"I'm stalking you." Man, he felt like banging his head against the wall for his choice of words.

Kagome sat there, completely dumbfounded by his statement. Her small mouth opened and closed, her mind forming questions but then deciding not to voice them and cutting off in the middle. A tiny sound escaped her lips before she chose to ask, "What?"

Inuyasha ran a hand through his hair, trying to think of a better way to say it. He had talked without thinking again, and now he was searching for an approach to tell her, without alarming the girl too much and terrifying her. "Kagome you're--"

"Why does everybody know my name all of the sudden?!" she demanded. "Did someone put you and that gorgeous man up to this?" Her dark pupils flashed with fury. "Yuka did this, didn't she? Oooooh….I'm _so _going to kill her!"

__

'Gorgeous. . .?!'Inuyasha's mind screamed. Naraku had let her _see_him and he hadn't killed her? The hanyou was becoming worried and the thought did nothing to ease his panicked nerves at all. The youkai was starting to take different methods now, none that were familiar with the dog-demon. Just what was Naraku thinking, anyway?

"Look, whoever 'Yuka' is, I could care less about the bitch. But as I was saying before I was _interrupted, _was that you are in danger." Inuyasha's own eyes displayed the fiery depths of anger within them as he spoke. "And that . . .'gorgeous'. . .guy you mentioned, he is the one after you."

Kagome crossed her arms, one finger tapping her elbow. She obviously didn't buy it. A smirk washed across her face as she regarded the pale-haired man who was standing in front of her. "Riiiggghhhtt…..and I suppose you're my guardian angel, come down from the heavens--or should I say 'roof'--to warn and save me."

"Yes, think of it that way. But don't you dare think of me as an angel. I'm not angelic at all. But I_am_here to save your hide."

"Oh, just give it a rest! You've been found out already, so just leave the way you came," Kagome said, shaking her head sadly. Really, some people just didn't know when to quit!

A hand grabbed her shoulder and she was yanked forward, forced to look the man eye-to-eye. "Look, little girl, I've told you the truth. Whether you want to believe it, it's up to you. But I'm going to stay right here and make _sure _that he doesn't get to you again!"

She flinched slightly from the impact of his words, the way that he was holding her, shaking her with every syllable he said made her gasp. "Okay, fine," Kagome uttered in defeat. "We'll play this little game of yours. Why is this man after me?"

Sighing, the hanyou released her, apparently happy that she had at least given him a chance to explain. However, he knew that this was going to be a _long _night. . .

"Before I answer that question," Inuyasha started. "How much do you know about demons?"

She simply blinked at him. "What?"

"Crap. Not only are you stupid, but you're deaf too?! How much do you know about demons?!" he repeated.

"Look, it's not like I invited you here, so if you are so obviously annoyed by me, then leave!" Kagome sunk her back into her pillows, staring angrily at him as he rolled his eyes.

"Just answer the damn question, bitch."

She sighed. "All that I know about demons are in the children's books that I read for my work. You know, the big, ugly, snaggled-tooth ones. . .supposed to be evil. . .but what the hell does that have to do with you breaking into my house?"

The hanyou chose to ignore her question and continued on with his own inquiry. "Do you know what the Shikon no Tama is?"

"The who-da-what?" Kagome asked, completely dumfounded. This guy was getting crazier and crazier by each passing second. He shouldn't have been here in the first place, he should have been admitted in his local loony bin--spouting nonsense about demons and whatnot!

Inuyasha smacked his forehead. Usually when this part came around, the reincarnates at least knew _some _elements__about the situation. Such as that the Shikon no Tama was some type of legendary jewel, but typically that was all that they knew about it. And yet _this _girl knew nothing, not anything about the sacred crystal. _'It's all my fault,' _the hanyou reasoned. _'I should have never gotten caught. Then I wouldn't know if this stupid girl had any brains or not.'_

"It would help if you were more serious about this!" Inuyasha yelled.

"Just how serious can I be, huh?! Two guys who I don't even know come in--both intruding in my personal space--one creeping me out, and one jumping down my throat! You should be lucky that I don't scream my head off!"

"If you had done that, I would have knocked you unconscious."

Kagome let out an unlady-like huff and crossed her arms. "I still have yet to know why you broke into my house." A corner of her mouth curled up sardonically. "That is, other than the fact that I'm in _danger…_" She said the word as if she was mocking him, and Inuyasha had a hunch that she was doing exactly that.

{Thank you again, demon angel!}

He shut his eyes calming himself, willing himself to keep his irritation under wraps. _'This girl has got to be the stupidest, dumbest, most intolerable reincarnate yet.'_"Listen little _girl_…" He said, mocking similar to what she did when he had announced the threat to her. "I'm going to try and explain this again. Let's see if you listen to me this time, hmm?"

She huffed at him. "You act as if I don't understand what you're telling me, I just don't trust what you have to say, that's all. Besides, you're only a crazed lunatic that's making this whole thing up." Her eyes narrowed at him and turned a shade darker due to her ire. "Oh and for the record, my name is _not_'girl',__it's Kagome. Ka-go-me. Get it right next time."

Inuyasha smacked his forehead again. This girl was already giving him a headache and he hadn't even been here that long! She was acting as if he were a little kid, inexperienced and weak, when it was the other way around. What was he going to do with her?

"Just listen _girl_," the hanyou said between his teeth and fangs. "Demons are beast with special powers. Many of them carry poison, while others are shape shifters. Some are good and some are evil. The '_gorgeous _guy' you mentioned? Yeah, he's probably the worst one. If you want to live long enough to grow an old hag you will understand that you need me to protect you." He sighed. "Now did you get all of that or do I need to explain it. . _yet_again?"

Kagome was fuming from him calling her that and for hinting she didn't get what he was say, yet she continued to listen anyway. _'I'll just let the crazy man talk about his demons and whatever and then he'll be gone. Just get through this, Kagome, and you can just tell yourself that this is only a dream in the morning!'_

"Well, do you get it or not?!"

"I'm not stupid you know. You don't have to make it sound like I am."

"Could have fooled me!"

Her fist balled in anger. "What….was…that!"

"Nothing, bitch."

Inuyasha sighed. He could smell agitation coming off of her. That and doubt. She wasn't believing one word he said. _'This isn't going to be as easy as I thought. Somehow, I have to make her believe this stuff.'_

"Now for the Shikon no Tama, also known as the Jewel of Four Souls. It was forged out of a miko and a demon. You _do _know what a miko is right?" Inuyasha's black brow rose at his question to her.

Kagome shook her head no. He groaned and rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Don't you know anything beside the demons you read in books?"

"Didn't I tell you that from the beginning?" Kagome asked, aggravated. "As far as I know, all of this mumbo-jumbo isn't real. I mean, have _you_ever seen one?"

__

'More than you know. . .'Inuyasha thought, but he continued nevertheless. "What do you know about mikos?"

She let out a sigh. "Not much, but I have a feeling you're going to tell me regardless. . ."

"Whatever," Inuyasha said, exhaling noisily, clearly exasperated with the entire matter. "A miko is a woman with high spiritual powers, usually pure of heart and soul. If powerful, she can kill a horde of demons with a single blow. Most mikos are trained young that way when they're teens they will have enough power to protect themselves and others--"

__

'Just like Kikyo did. . .'

"--They are usually masters at the bow and arrow and can sense demons and auras naturally with their powers"

"You act as if this is common knowledge. How the heck am I supposed to know this? _Why_am I supposed to know this?"

Inuyasha ignored her question, rolling his eyes again before he continued. "Well now that you know what a miko is, let me tell you about a great miko named Midoriko. She was known to be the most powerful miko of all. She was honored and adored by humans, however, she was hated by demons. Finally, she met her match against a few of the more powerful, eviler demons. The two forces battled against each other for days, and Midoriko fought day and night without any rest with the demons until finally her body couldn't fight anymore. With the last of her strength, she managed to use the remaining will power within her to shove her entire soul from her body, trapping the souls of the demons as well as her own. This is the Shikon no Tama, a jewel that has the souls of Midoriko and the demons within it, the miko still continuing the battle inside of it."

He looked at her once he finished his explanation. She was staring at him with wide eyes, but according to her dubious scent and lack of excitement, he could tell that she still did not believe him.

"There. So now you know about demons and the Shikon no Tama. Do you understand now?"

Kagome snickered. "Sure, here's what I understand: Two guys break into my house and attack me, then one of them decides to tell me a bedtime story. Are you done yet, because I have school tomorrow."

"Oh for Kami's sake." Inuyasha rubbed his temples, trying to soothe his frustration. "You have _got _to be the stupidest human in all of Japan…no make that the entire world!" He was getting really irritated and when that happened, some of his demonic qualities began to stand out. . .

"Hey! W-what's moving under your bandana?"

Like those. . .

"What!?" He feigned ignorance. "What do you mean?"

"There is something moving under your bandana!"

"No there isn't. You're just imagining things," he said, beginning to move from the bed, mentally kicking himself. _'Ahhh. I shouldn't have gotten so upset. Damn. I **knew**this would happen if I stayed too long. If she even so much as--' _He then noticed that she was inching towards him, slowly raising her hand to snatch off the bandana. He grabbed her wrist. "What do you think you're doing, bitch?!"

Kagome's brows lowered at his tone. "I'm proving my point! There's something under there, and I'm going to find out!"

"No you aren't because there is nothing under it. Now leave it alone," he growled at her. Yet he could still see the determination in her eyes. _'Not good,' _his mind reasoned. _'The last thing I need is to scare her out of her wits with my ears.'_

He pushed her back down into her pillows, bringing his face down to her eye level. "Don't touch my head ever again, _little girl,_" he added, attempting to get her angry so she would cease remembering to try to rip off his concealing cloth. His grip tightened on her arm to further influence his statement.

"What? Don't do. . ._this?!_" As quick as lightning and with her other hand, she managed to ball her fist in his bandana and tore it off of his head. When he realized what she had done, Inuyasha jerked back, releasing her wrist in an effort to use the shadows to hide the top of his head. But it was too late, she had already seen.

"Are those your ears?!" Kagome whispered, forcing her body upright to get a better look at them. She squealed when she saw them. "They are! They're so cute!"

"W-wha--?" She wasn't scared of him? All of the others were scared! He watched in shock as she leaned up to stroke the short fur that covered his demon ears. _'Wait a minute. . .'_

He smirked in victory. "Guess that means that you actually believe me now, huh?"

She paused and moved away, looking him clearly in his eyes, her own full of stubbornness. "It doesn't prove anything. You could be a mutant for all I know."

Inuyasha's eyebrows shot up as a murderous expression washed onto his face. "What did you just call me?!"

She yawned and laid back down in her bed, pulling the sheets over her body. "Whatever. I need to sleep and you need to leave. I suppose you'll be going through the window?" She burrowed her nose in the cover. "Just don't hit your head on the way out."

"You can stop with your wishful thinking, because I'm staying right here." Inuyasha emphasized his point by sitting down near the glass window, folding his arms and staring at her. "I won't let Naraku come again."

Kagome's brow wrinkled. "Naraku?"

"That 'gorgeous' guy," the hanyou spit out in distaste. "I'm not letting him get to you again, so you just lay back down and go to sleep."

"What?! There's no way I'll be able to go to sleep with a perfect stranger in my room! I don't even know your name, let alone who you are!" Kagome shifted so she could face him. "What happens when my mother comes in here in the morning?"

"I'll be gone by then. Or rather," Inuyasha smirked dangerously. "I'll be gone from your sight."

"What?! So now you're going to stalk me?"

"Didn't I tell you that from the beginning?!"

Kagome sat up, shaking her head. "No, you're not going to follow me around like that. How long have you been doing it, anyway?"

Inuyasha sighed for about the third time that night. "About a week."

"An _entire_week?! How come I didn't know about this?"

"I'm pretty good at it. Now go to sleep, weren't you the one complaining that you had school tomorrow?"

Kagome sank back down, closing her eyes. How had all of this happened? She still had many questions, but she was too exhausted to ask them. How was she supposed to get some sleep, knowing that this man was going to be watching her the whole time? Why was she letting him continue this farce?

His ears. . .were they actually those of a demon? If so--and this was assuming that she really believed his story--was he someone she could trust? Didn't he tell her that there were evil demons out there?

"Answering your question," the half-demon said, breaking the silence. "My name is Inuyasha."

A snicker could be heard beneath the cover. "Nice name." It came out muffled, but the hanyou could hear it perfectly.

"Hmph! Like 'Kagome' is any better!"

"Goodnight, Inuyasha." Kagome said, turning her back to the hanyou. "And if you touch _anything _in my room,__I'll kill you."

"Fat chance of that. You're as weak as you are stupid." Inuyasha grumbled as he leaned his head back against the wall, closing his eyes as he willed himself to catch some sleep. Well, at least he could watch her up-close, rather than afar. It would make it easier to protect her that way, and Naraku would have a tougher time to attack if he was nearby her. A smile crept its way on his lips.

At least _this_time, he knew he was doing something right.

* * *

  


Next chapter: the entrance of the infamous demon lord, Sesshoumaru.


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